BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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Date of Hearing: April 28, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Jose Medina, Chair
AB 1361
(Burke) - As Amended April 14, 2015
SUBJECT: Student financial aid: Cal Grant Program: veterans
SUMMARY: Exempts a current or former member of the Armed Forces
of the United States, unless the individual received a
dishonorable discharge, from the age limitations of the
California Community College (CCC) Transfer Cal Grant
Entitlement Program.
EXISTING LAW: Establishes the Cal Grant program, administered
by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), to provide
tuition and access cost assistance to eligible students
attending qualified institutions. The CCC Transfer Entitlement
Awards provides Cal Grant A and B awards to every student who
graduated from a California high school after June 30, 2000, was
a California resident at the time of high school graduation,
transferred to a qualifying baccalaureate-degree granting
institution from a CCC during the award year, was under the age
of 28 at the time of the transfer, and had a minimum California
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Community College GPA of 2.4. Maximum award amounts for CSU and
UC are established in the annual Budget Act and have
traditionally covered all systemwide tuition and fees. The
maximum tuition award for Cal Grant A and B for students
attending private for-profit colleges is $4,000 (commencing
2013-14), and for students attending non-profit or
WASC-accredited for-profit institutions is $8,056 (commencing
2015-16).
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS: Background. As previously outlined, the CCC Transfer
Entitlement Program provides Cal Grant A and B awards to
qualified students transferring from a CCC to a qualified
baccalaureate-degree granting institution. Students are
required to meet specified criteria, including that the student
will not yet be 28 years of age by December 31 of the award
year. In 2014-15, CSAC estimated 60,000 - 75,000 CCC transfer
students were potentially eligible for the award, made offers to
17,745, and paid 14,491 awards. According to CSAC, the
remaining 42,825 to 57,825 students that were not offered an
award may have been disqualified for a variety of reasons,
including exceeding the age limit.
Purpose of this bill. According to the author, the age
eligibility requirement presents a barrier for veterans who are
attending college later in life. According to The Million
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Records Project by the Student Veterans of America, nationwide
85 percent of veteran students are older than 24 years of age,
47 percent of veterans students are supporting a family, and 46
percent of veterans students are 25 years of age or older when
they first enroll in college. This bill assists veterans by
removing the age eligibility requirement for current or former
members of the Armed Forces of the United States for the CCC
Transfer Entitlement Program.
GI Bill. Federal educational assistance programs for veterans
have been authorized by federal law since 1944, including the
Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The latter
provides the following annual educational benefits (when fully
eligible) to current and former members of the Armed Forces:
1)Paying in-state tuition and fees (up to $17,500 annually) for
students attending California schools.
2)Monthly housing allowance based on zip code of school,
including for students enrolled solely in distance learning.
3)Up to $1,000 annually for books and supplies. (Cal Grants do
not provide assistance specifically for books and supplies.)
4)Up to $1,200 for tutoring assistance. (Cal Grants do not
provide tutoring assistance.)
5)Selected opportunities to transfer these benefits to a spouse
or dependent child. (Cal Grants are nontransferable.)
What benefit will this bill provide? The federal government is
the last payer if the state offers an equivalent benefit to
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veterans. Thus, under this bill, the state (via the Cal Grant)
would pay the veteran's tuition benefit in place of the federal
government. While most students will not see an additional
benefit from this bill, some students may, such as students who
are ineligible for the full GI Bill benefits, students attending
private institutions that participate in the Yellow Ribbon
Program, and Cal Grant B students who receive the access award.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
American Legion-Department of California
AMVETS-Department of California
California Association of County Veteran Service Officers
California Military Officer Association of America
California State Commanders Veterans Council
California Student Aid Commission
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Community College League of California
National Association of Social Workers - California Chapter
Vietnam Veterans of America-California State Council
Opposition
None on File
Analysis Prepared by:Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960
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